the false consensus effect :: essays research papers

Research Demonstration The False Consensus EffectIn science, we emphasize systematic, careful observation as a key toovercoming the limits of other methods of acquiring knowledge. That is, wetrust systematic observation more than we trust our own intuition. We canactually investigate this issue. The following description provides you withthe lucubrate necessary to conduct a simple study to investigate the accuracy ofhuman intuitions.We often believe that others are more same ourselves than they really are. Thus, ourpredictions round others beliefs or behaviors, based on casual observation, are very probablyto err in the direction of our own beliefs or behavior. For example, college students whopreferred brown abrasion estimated that over 50% of all other college students preferredbrown bread, while white-bread eaters estimated more accurately that 37% showed brownbread preference (Ross, Greene, & House, 1977). This is know as the false consensuseffect (Ross et al., 1977 Mullen, Atkins, Champion, Edwards, Hardy, Story, & Vanderlok,1985). The false consensus effect provides the basis for the following demonstration, whichemphasizes the need for systematic rather than casual observation.You can use the set of six questions, below, to investigate this. Before describing the falseconsensus effect, have friends, roommates or classmates (other classes, not PSY250)answer the questions listed below. Next, have students predict the UB undergraduatemean for each question. Keep a show up of the responses for each person who participates.According to the false consensus effect, students predictions about the UB mean should beinfluenced by their own positions. Consequently, a student whose position is below the UBmean is likely to make a prediction that will be below the UB mean as well.There are ethical constraints on the use of human participants that you essential follow if youwish to try this with people.1. Do not collect any identifying information on your parti cipants. The answers tothese questions should be unidentified. Even though you may know the person, do NOTrecord any identifying information.2. When you ask someone to participate, explain the basic nature of the study. Youwant to ask people how often they do certain things, like laundry, and how often they thinkother UB undergrads do these same things. You are doing this as part of a class on learningthe scientific method. If they participate, they will be asked to answer six questions aboutthemselves and other UB undergraduates. They can choose not to answer any question.Tell your prospective participant that all answers are anonymous and no informationidentifying them is being recorded.3.